


Staring into the flames

by LeeTigsTheBallumStan



Category: EastEnders (TV)
Genre: F/M, M/M, TheWarFicNobodyAskedFor, ballum - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-10
Updated: 2019-11-10
Packaged: 2021-01-27 03:27:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21385312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeeTigsTheBallumStan/pseuds/LeeTigsTheBallumStan
Summary: The war fic wrote in an English class and became way too attached to
Relationships: Callum "Halfway" Highway/Ben Mitchell, Jay Brown/Lola Pearce
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16





	Staring into the flames

Fire. The way it ripples and swirls without a care in the world. No fear of judgement, no worries in life, when it burns brightest the orange embers spark and recess into itself. It's astounding how something so beautiful can be so deadly and destructive. Something so warm and inviting can leave you cold and suffering. When a fire is gone there's no way to get it back, you can start a new one but no matter how hard you try. You can start a new one but it'll never be the same, it'll never glow quite as brightly as before, it's flames will never twist and turn in the same ways it used to. We need it to live and yet it can get to a point we need it too much and our ability to live is taken away. An entire story coming to an end; being engulfed in harsh oranges and soft yellows, climbing and slithering over skin, leaving black and red marks in its wake. How can something we need to badly break us so easily?

Callum watched, staring into the flames as they danced and crackled invitingly. His hands hung low, elbows propped on his knees, staring from the muddy, ember scattered floor over to his scuffed and dirty, damp, broken boots then back into the fire. Blue eyes reflecting the quiet, crackling flames.

He glanced up, noticing a figure standing in front of him, on the other side of the flames. The soft mumbles were overshadowed by the gentle crackle of the fire.   
”Cal?” the man opposite said, his tone soft and quiet. Callum's eyes looked up to see the man across the fire. Ben Mitchell, Callum had known him before the war, not that well, but they knew of each others nonetheless. Callum scanned over Ben’s pale, bruised face, avoiding looking him directly in his warm, ocean blue eyes. His eyes, there was no simpler way of putting it than it reminded him of home. The bright blue eyes contrasting above the dying flames.

Ben pushed a rough, dirty hand through his messy brown hair. He sighed, staring down at Callum, waiting for him to do or say anything. Watching his broken, puffy eyes trail over his face and back down to his hands, resting his elbows firmly on his knees.   
”hi,” Callum whispered quietly in a shaky, cold voice. Ben shot Callum a pitiful look as they stood in silence.   
”Callum,” Ben said, walking over to him slowly being caught off guard when he replied with a snappy ”What ” his voice rising in volume gradually throughout before dropping back to silence in under a second.   
” I heard about what happened to Stuart” Ben said, his voice low and quiet ”Jay told me about it. Nobody deserves that. He was a prick but... God” Ben sighed as he lowered himself down next to Callum, glancing into the flames and back to him. As Ben spoke the images played in Callum’s head, weighing in his chest, burning in his nose, sinking into his fingertips.

**Author's Note:**

> This is unfinished cause I'm lazy but let me know if you're interested in another chapter :)


End file.
